Aircraft use electromechanical actuators or electric motors coupled to a mechanical drive for operating flight control surfaces and other devices onboard the aircraft. Examples of the flight control surfaces that may be operated or moved by electromechanical actuators may include and is not necessarily limited to ailerons, flaps, elevator, rudder, speed brakes and the like. Power driver assemblies for such electromechanical actuators and other electrically powered devices can add significantly to the weight the aircraft and such assemblies can occupy a considerable amount of space within the aircraft structure. Every pound of onboard equipment can result in loss of fuel economy. Additionally the weight and volume of space taken by such equipment can reduce cargo and passenger capacity. Accordingly, any reduction in the weight and size of such actuators and other devices can result in more efficient operation of aircraft or other vehicles or equipment.
FIG. 1 is an example of a prior art power drive assembly 100 for a motor 102. The power drive assembly 100 may include a filter 104 for filter electrical power from a power source 106. The power source 106 may be a three-phase alternating current electrical power source or voltage source. The filter 104 may be an electromagnetic interference filter to substantially filter any extraneous electromagnetic energy that may be induced on the power feed 108 from the power source 106.
An alternating current-to-direct current (AC/DC) power converter 110 may receive the three-phase, filtered electrical power signal or electrical input voltage from the filter 104. The AC/DC power converter 110 may include a plurality of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) 112 or similar electronic switches to convert the alternating three-phase input voltage to a DC output voltage.
A DC link 114 may couple the AC/DC power converter 110 to a DC to Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) motor control 116. The DC to PWM motor control 116 may convert the DC voltage from the DC link 114 to a three-phase output voltage for driving the motor 102. The DC to PWM motor control 116 may also include a plurality of IGBTs 118.
Operation of the AC/DC power converter 110 and the DC to PWM 116 may be controlled by a computer 118. The computer 118 may be coupled to the AC/DC power converter 110 by suitable interfacing electronics 120 and the computer 118 may be coupled to the DC to PWM motor control 116 by interfacing electronics 122. The interfacing electronics 120 may condition the input signals from the computer 118 for use by the AC/DC power converter 110 and each of the IGBTs 112. The interfacing electronics 122 may condition the input signals from the computer 118 for use by the DC to PWM motor control 116.
The computer 118 may be coupled to the motor 102 by a link 124 to receive data or information related to operation of the motor 124 that may be used for controlling operation of the AC/DC power converter 110 and the DC to PWM motor control 116.
The computer 118 may also communicate with other systems 126, such as a flight management computer. Information and instructions may be received from these other systems 126 to control operation of the motor 102 and whatever actuator or other mechanism that may be driven by the motor 102. The computer 118 may also transmit data or information to the other system 126, such as information related to the status or condition of the motor 102 or whatever equipment or mechanism is operated by the motor 102.